Zero tolerance is typically a term you hear when we’re talking school to prison pipeline issues. You typically don’t hear it around the issue of sexual harassment.

But what zero tolerance has meant so far is punishment first and investigation later. Maybe more will emerge on Rep. John Conyers (D-MI). Who knows. But at this moment two women are known Conyers accusers but have “not really come forward” as Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi put it.

The problem is: there is no real investigative process in place to deal with the accusations advanced and the rights of the accused. At this moment any accuser will very likely will be believed. And anyone accused is likely to be assumed guilty.

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About the Author

lauren victoria burke

Lauren Victoria Burke is a writer, comms strategist and political analyst. She created Crewof42 in 2009. The blog focuses on African American members of Congress and Black political power regardless of party. Ms. Burke also writes for NBC BLK, The Root, NNPA and is the Managing Editor of Politic365. As part of a diverse career in politics and media, she has also served as a congressional staffer for the U.S. Senate Democratic Policy Committee, Communications Director for U.S. Rep. Andre Carson (D-IN) and Director of Communications for Justin Fairfax of Lt. Governor of Virginia. She appears each Monday on weekly on NewsOneNow with Roland Martin on TVOne. Ms. Burke holds a B.A. in History from The American University. Email: LBurke007@gmail.com. Twitter: @LVBurke.